KEKAHA — With unemployment more than three times as high as it was two years ago on Kaua‘i, the Syngenta Hawai‘i job fair this weekend in Kekaha is an excellent opportunity for those looking for work, according to WorkWise Kaua‘i
KEKAHA — With unemployment more than three times as high as it was two years ago on Kaua‘i, the Syngenta Hawai‘i job fair this weekend in Kekaha is an excellent opportunity for those looking for work, according to WorkWise Kaua‘i Branch Manager Bill Grier.
Coinciding with the recent announcement that Gay & Robinson will be harvesting its final sugarcane crop in October, Syngenta Hawai‘i Outreach Manager Laurie Goodwin said she hopes many of those displaced workers will consider applying to the company’s corn and soybean research and development sector on Kaua‘i.
Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce President Randy Francisco agreed it was a “timely opportunity” for former Gay & Robinson employees, especially considering the potential income boost.
The approximate 30 to 40 percent possible increase in pay would likely “help them,” he said.
Offering about 30 full-time positions in preparation for their “busy winter season,” Syngenta Hawai‘i is looking for qualified employees to work in its agronomy, research and maintenance departments, Goodwin said Wednesday.
From looking after crops to operating machinery, the jobs do not necessarily require a specific level of education, but a high school diploma is an “asset,” she said. The amount of pay will relate to an employee’s highest level of schooling achieved.
“With unemployment nearly 10 percent, it makes me leery about people that don’t have the skills needed,” Francisco said.
Though the unemployment rate dropped from 11 percent in June to 9.6 percent in August, many are unaccounted for because their benefits have either expired or they are “underemployed,” meaning they work too many hours to qualify, Grier said.
“The reality is it looks like it’s going down, but many are probably just not counted,” he said.
In other words, competition is stiff and “a degree will absolutely help make significantly more money,” Grier said.
When asked if college graduates were less affected by layoffs and unemployment, Grier said the impact is still “wide-spread.”
“People with degrees are not immune,” he said.
To gain an edge over others, Grier recommends job seekers present themselves well on Saturday and does not suggest arriving in T-shirts and slippers.
“Show up dressed and prepared to be interviewed,” Grier said.
Goodwin said a résumé is “valuable” to have as management will be on site Saturday.
“People are getting really serious,” Grier said as far as finding employment is concerned. “People are out of work that have never been out of work before. They’re getting nervous.”
From 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, residents are invited to attend the Syngenta Job Fair at the Kekaha Neighborhood Center, 8130 ‘Elepaio Road.
